GHRI Investigates: Cell Phone Chargers

Do replacement phone chargers work as well as the originals?

Whether you've lost your phone's charger or just want a spare, the unauthorized offerings online cost a fraction of what those made (or recommended as compatible) by cell phone manufacturers run. But will the cheapies do the job?

We Tested: 18 cell phone chargers purchased from amazon.com for $3 to $9.51. We compared the talk time of phones charged with their original chargers with the talk time generated by the off-brand chargers. We then re-powered the phones with the original chargers and tracked the talk time again to be sure the others hadn't adversely affected the phones.

We Found: Nearly half of the off-brand chargers didn't work properly. Two didn't charge; two only partially charged; one took forever to charge; one made a poor connection with the outlet; one phone inexplicably turned on and off during charging; and one phone wouldn't turn on at all when plugged in. The good news: Phones resumed normal charging when used with their original chargers. While the talk-time tests produced some inconsistent results, we can't pinpoint the cause  inadequate charging, poor network strength, or some other factor.

Our Recommendation: The real deal is worth it. Though we didn't see any permanent damage to phones from off-brand chargers, for best performance, use one that's made or authorized by your cell phone's manufacturer. Bargains on these can also be found online; read sites' descriptions carefully before buying.

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